The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1887-10-28
POLLy'S

N'fH UNhA'AS 81 ~
side.
"Why shouldn't I buy to-day ?" she
cried. 81 have had this hundred dol
lars in gold for almost a year, Mr.
McIlwaine, trying to make up my mine
what | wanted most; now my birthday
is almost here again, and [ am afraid
Grandpa will make this do for two birth.
days, if l don't hurry and spend it,"
But Polly's gay little laugh was check.
ed by a look of unmistakable compassion
in the gentleman's eyes. The color faded
a little from her bright Young face, but
she would not ask any questions here in the
crowded store.
"You may put them back to-day, Mr..
West" she said to the jeweler. 'FIl
come again tomorrow
every we'll. Miss Rutherford" said the
vexed salesman, %concealing his disappoint.
ment, Il shall reserve them for you"
Polly left the tempting store with Mr..
McIlwaine, and once on the street turned
upon him a pair o frank, questioning eyes,
which he found hard to answer.
Paul McIlwaine was a friend of the
Rutherford family; but not specially OF
little Polly; she was only sixteen, a mere
child to the hard-working lawyer of thirty,
and one whom he considered as altogether
frivolous and empty. Polly was an only
daughter, living with a widowed mother
in her grandfather's elegant house. and if
she was not a spoiled girl it was not the
fault of the doting old grandfather, whose
idol she had been from her Dabyhood.
What did you mean, Mr.. McIlwaine ?"
she asked, presently, finding that the
questioning look brought no reply. And
then, seeing how embarrassed he seemed
about answering, she said, with a sudden
fear, ''Have you been at Grandpa's since
Ileft9 Is anything the matter ?"
"They are all well, he said, answering
the thought which he knew was in her
mind, ''but something has happened,
Polly, of course, or would not have in
terfered with your purchase"
"Oh! tell me, tell me" said the girl in an
agitated voice. why do you keep me in
suspense"
'What a blunderer am" thought her
companion. eff | tell her out here Oh the
street, there will be a scene; but Pm in
for it now, and if l don't tell her l suppose
there will be a scene; that's the way with
these fine young ladies'"
'It is a hard thing to say to you, Polly,
but your grandfather has failed"
"Failed," repeated Polly, vaguely. you
mean he has lost his money? Is that all ?
Is that what you were afraid to tell me ?.''
THAT ALI means a good deal more than
you seem to understand, said Paul Me-
Ilwaine, impatiently; ''it means loss and
grief and disappointment and poverty to
one of the best gentlemen in the world;
it means hard work to your mother who
has no strength Tor work; to you"
He stopped, and Polly said quickly. feel
ing the tingc ofcontempt inhis one:''Never
mine about me, but l see now how bad it
will be; poor Grandpa! Mr.. McIlwaine
does-must-will anybody else lose by
Grandpa's failure?"
sit is too soon to say positive, he replied,
'but l think not. l think he has quit
business in time not to leave his creditors
any appreciable loss"
Polly's head was up now, and her eyes
shining. ''Dear old Grandpa she said,
''bless his heart. am ashamed that |
asked the question; I might have known.
But, oh, I'm so much obliged to you for
keeping me from spending my hundred
dollars; it was very kind of you, very; L
don't know how you anne to find me.
How long have you known about Grand
pap"
sIt only came put this morning, and
took us all en- tirely by surprise. But here
we are at your door; good-by, my dear; if
can be of service to you in anyway, Che
had meant to offer her money, but he was
suddenly afraid to speak of such a thing to
the spirited-looking girl before him. re-
member the long intimacy between our
families gives me a right to help you"
THANK you" she said, simply; it was
all she had voice for, and, using her latch
KEY, she let herself into the house.
sBless me :" said the young lawyer, as
he walked off, ''but the girl has pluck 1t
was very pretty, and entirely womanly.
too. the way she thought of others, her
grandfather and the creditors. | didn't
think little Polly had it in her."
If he had seen little Polly at this minute,
he might not have thought she had so much
in her she had slipped noiselessly into the
great handsome front parlor and dropped
down on one of the low cushioned divans,
sail in a heap" as the girls say. For two
whole hours she kept herselfhid in the par
lor, nobody knowing she was in the house,
and in that long, silent time, when she
heard only the tinkling little bronze clock,
and her own irregular breathing, something
happened to Polly, almost like what hap
pens to the moth when it comes out of the
cocoon. 1t happened to the Polly that was
hid away inside ofthe Polly that everybody
knew and who shall say but that this
great, startling change of fortune was not
sent to keep that inside Polly from being
smothered and dwarfed by the outside Polly
When she went to find her mother and
grandfather, it was with a bright face and
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